"RC85": that tiny code stamped on your battery case might sound meaningless, but according to one viral video, it’s the secret to knowing how long your car can run before the lights go out. Sounds useful—if it were true. Let’s unpack what that number actually means.
The viral Facebook Reel from comedian and Honda CR-V driver Sidney Raskind (@sidneyraz) starts off with him at maximum incredulousness, addressing the camera in disbelief that he’d gone 30 years without realizing there’s a way, in theory, to know how much of a reserve charge his car’s battery holds.
"Here's something I wish I knew before I was in my 30s. Your car battery tells you on the battery how long it lasts," he said in the clip that’s been viewed more than 114,000 times. "Open the hood. Right here. RC85. That means that you have 85 minutes of radio on, door open, no engine on until your battery dies."
What "RC" Really Means
While the video resonated with thousands of viewers who admitted they’d never noticed the code, the explanation isn’t quite accurate. The "RC" stamped on most 12-volt automotive batteries stands for Reserve Capacity, and it’s not about how long you can jam out to your stereo with the engine off.
Reserve capacity is a standardized measurement defined by the Battery Council International as the number of minutes a fully charged battery can deliver 25 amps of current before its voltage drops below 10.5 volts, which is roughly the point at which it can no longer maintain the car's running or accessories' power. In other words, it’s a measure of endurance under load, not a countdown timer for your next parking-lot singalong.
If your battery label says "RC85," it means that under controlled laboratory conditions, the battery can deliver a 25-amp draw for 85 minutes before reaching its threshold. It’s a crucial spec for engineers and mechanics because it indicates how long the battery could keep vital systems alive in the event of an alternator failure, providing enough time to limp your car to safety if the charging system dies on the highway.
Once again, a battery’s reserve capacity doesn’t necessarily translate to usable minutes of accessory time. Powering your radio, lights, or HVAC system involves variable loads that drain energy at different rates. Still, higher RC numbers generally indicate a more robust, longer-lasting battery — an important factor for vehicles with high electrical demands or frequent short trips.
Gallery: 2017 Honda CR-V: First Drive
Like many viral "car hacks," Raskind’s video quickly turned into a classroom in the comments. Dozens of users chimed in with their own theories about what really affects battery life, and many weren’t entirely wrong.
One commenter shared that her battery "didn’t last an hour" in the Georgia heat. Others jumped in to argue that hot weather shouldn’t shorten the runtime. "Heat makes batteries last longer, not shorter," another wrote, only to be corrected by several commenters citing the opposite.
In fact, both sides captured part of the truth. According to NAPA Auto Parts, extreme heat accelerates chemical degradation inside lead-acid batteries, causing the plates to corrode and the electrolyte to evaporate, effectively shortening the lifespan. Conversely, cold temperatures make it harder for batteries to deliver current, which explains the familiar "won’t start in winter" scenario.
Then came the debate over Raskind’s "85-minute" interpretation. One commenter chimed in with an accurate definition: "Reserve capacity is the amount of time, in minutes, that a 12-V battery can run before dropping to 10.5 V. It can supply 25 amps for that long — that’s what RC means." His correction drew a wave of replies from users insisting that a car could never "run off battery alone for 85 minutes," sparking yet another side discussion about alternator failures and modern vehicle electrical loads.
How to Actually Read Your Battery Label
For all the confusion, Raskind’s video did something valuable: It got people looking at their batteries again. Beyond the RC number, several other codes tell a story about your car’s power source. CCA, or Cold Cranking Amps, measures the amount of current a battery can deliver for 30 seconds at 0°F, a critical factor for starting engines in cold climates. Many drivers in the U.S. are unaware that a battery’s CCA rating can decline over time, even if it still appears to crank properly in mild weather.
The date code, which is often a combination of letters and numbers, such as "C24," indicates when the battery was manufactured (in this example, March 2024). Consumer Reports recommends replacing a battery every three to five years, depending on factors such as heat exposure, usage patterns, and vehicle type.
As for RC, it is a measure of resilience rather than runtime. The higher the number, the more time your car’s electrical system has to survive if the alternator quits. For most modern cars, reserve capacities range from about 70 to 150 minutes. Trucks, SUVs, and vehicles with power-hungry accessories may use batteries on the higher end of that scale.
There’s a reason Raskind’s clip caught fire despite the technical slip-up. In an era when cars are packed with software, sensors, and subscription-based features, simple mechanical knowledge feels refreshing. The idea that your car is hiding a "hack" right under the hood scratches that same itch as the old "gas-cap arrow" discovery; something small, tangible, and easy to check for yourself.
Motor1 reached out to Raskind via email and direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.
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